Council postpones multiple votes

A vote that could ban handguns in city meetings has been delayed. 

On Tuesday evening, the San Marcos City Council voted to postpone a motion on a resolution that would forbid concealed handguns in rooms where a meeting of a government entity is being held, which includes city council or any city board, commission or committee meeting. 

The resolution states that handguns will be forbidden regardless of whether the gun is concealed or openly carried. 

Resolution No. 2015-177R already prohibits open carry of handguns in rooms where “city council or any city board, commission, committee or body are being held.” The new resolution, if passed, will supercede Resolution No. 2015-177R and prevent concealed carry in these meetings as well. 

Council member Ed Mihalkanin made a motion to postpone the resolution to ensure the city is aware of the proposed resolution. City council will vote on the resolution at its next regular meeting on Aug. 20. 

Council also postponed a resolution that will approve a renewal contract with VeoRide for the company’s dockless smart bike system until the next regular meeting. 

Citing the many dockless bikes left in inappropriate areas, council member Lisa Prewwitt said she is not excited about the places the bikes are laying.

“Although I’m super excited that it works and I really appreciate the company,” Prewitt said. “I appreciate the electric bike option versus the pedal option, I think that we really need to sit down and come up with a better way to get those bikes off of the right-of-ways in a very quick time frame so our streets stay safe.”

Matt Briggs, the regional manager for VeoRide, said the company actively patrols the city to ensure bikes are placed in the correct areas. 

“We spend 16 hours a day manned with our folks out in our van patrolling the area and cleaning up the community as we see fit,” Briggs said. “And we are proactively instituting rider education programs in order to communicate what proper parking is, where these are, and the impact it has when they’re not, with a warning followed by a penalty system.”

Mayor Jane Hughson expressed her concern with bikes being left in the middle of sidewalks, as they may inhibit individuals in wheelchairs.  

“I’m happy that y'all are here. I don’t want you to go away, I just want to get this problem solved,” Hughson said. 

City Manager Bert Lumbreras suggested that city staff sit down with VeoRide and update language on the agreement before the next city council meeting. 

During the public comment period of the meeting, Texas State student and San Marcos resident Jessica Thibodeaux spoke and asked the Council to continue pushing policies that enhance road infrastructure for bikes, scooters, and motorized wheelchairs which includes the renewal of a contract with VeoRide. 

“In about 22 days — approximately — 20,000 cars will be returning to San Marcos, and that number increases every year,” she said. “My council, revel in this moment that you all have a choice to push our infrastructure forward, and all we need is simply your support.”   

In other business, council approved a resolution supporting an application to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) for a shared use path project on Hopkins Street and State Highway 80. 

According to the project manager, Jacob Peets, the grant will be used to create a 10-ft shared-use path along a section of Hopkins Street and State Highway 80. 

If the application is approved, the grant will be awarded at the end of the year, according to Peets. 

In other business, Hughson put forth the name of Andrew Behnke as an appointee to fill a vacancy on the Historic Preservation Commission, and council approved her suggestion.  

“From the disciplines of architecture, history, archaeology or other disciplines related to historic preservation is the slot we’re filling,” Hughson said. 

Additionally, city council approved Ordinance 2019-18, which will order a general election to be held on Nov. 5, 2019 to elect city council members to places one and two. The election will be held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the deadline for candidates to file is Aug. 19.